


the black paladin's favour

by ashinan



Series: Uliro Week [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Communication Failure, Fighting Miscommunication, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pining, Uliro Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 23:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11046966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashinan/pseuds/ashinan
Summary: Attempting to keep his inquiries into human mating habits on the down low, Ulaz makes some unorthodox decisions on his way to courting Shiro. Unfortunately, he fails to take Allura into account.





	the black paladin's favour

**Author's Note:**

> Day three dahlings! Oh, this week has been so much fun. There's been some amazing fic and artwork (I am slowly but surely getting to them all ahhhh) and this lil canoe is puttering along. This is by and far my favourite prompt simply because of the misunderstandings that can (and do) occur. If you're interested in music for this fic, check out [Roundtable Rival](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQJf0TwDjlg) by Lindsey Stirling which helped write the battle for this fic! Enjoy!

The Altean library available on the Castle is quite sparse when it comes to humans and humanity. Understandable, considering that humans weren’t discovered until they literally stumbled upon the Castle. Ulaz flips through the holograms containing information on human eating habits, primarily picked up from the Paladins themselves, and cannot help his frustration. He has scoured the entire database multiple times over the course of weeks. There is nothing that pertains to human courtships or mating practises in the data banks. Nothing that would aid him in potentially beginning a courtship with Shiro or to make his intent clear.

Another hologram indicates that humans sleep very little, usually within a twenty four hour cycle, which is quite long compared to Galran species or even Alteans. One off to the side indicates that they tend to congregate in groups, usually to converse and initiate touch and inquire about general well being. A third talks of the biological scans taken when the group had first stepped into the Castle. Ulaz flicks through it cursorily, inputting a small change in regards to Shiro’s biology that he recalls from his own scans. There’s nothing he can use here, except perhaps the eating habits information. Sighing, he cues it up and gives it a perfunctory glance over. Shiro isn’t eating enough. Well.

The door behind him slides open. Ulaz closes the archives with a quick tap of his claws, glancing over his shoulder as Coran hails him. He nods in greeting, dodging Coran’s inquiry over what he was looking up, and slips out the door before conversation can be initiated. The eating habits might help; the sleeping as well. Ulaz’s own sleep schedule tends to revolve around a sixteen hour cycle, which he’d never questioned until arriving on the Castle. Food was a daily affair, usually within the mess hall, and tended to devolve into raucous conversation. Perhaps if he partakes in one of these meals or situates himself near Shiro when taking his rest?

Frustration isn’t a new emotion, though it has been growing the longer Ulaz spends devising a plan. The Blade frowns upon relationships outside of common camaraderie, so Ulaz is left quite literally to his own devices. It may be best to approach this situation as though it were a mission to be completed. Information was pertinent; he had exhausted the literary devices available to him, so perhaps it was time for a more direct approach?

 

Unfortunately, a direct approach garners him little except for the loud guffaw of the Blue Paladin. Lance drapes himself over the back of the couch, grinning wide up at Ulaz. He should have perused the other Paladins before asking the first one he came across. Lance says, “So, you got the hots for Boss Man, huh?”

Ulaz sighs. “I do not understand -”

Lance waves his hands, cutting him off. “You want to do the do with Shiro. Sweep him off his feet. Treat him oh so right. Am I hitting on anything here that sounds remotely familiar?”

Scrunching up his nose, Ulaz waits for Lance to tire himself out. Lance kicks his feet, wiggling his way further over the back of the couch. Soon, he’ll land on the floor. It would likely irritate Shiro if Lance harmed himself while giving Ulaz courting advice. Willing himself calm, Ulaz interrupts, “Lance, the knowledge in the Altean archives is incomplete. As you are human, you can assist me where the data banks fail. What is the easiest way to initiate a courtship between your species?”

Snickering, Lance props his chin on his palm, a feat of true acrobatics. Ulaz raises a brow. Lance says, “Honestly, my dude, you could probably walk up to him and just say in your super formal voice: ‘I wish to court you’ and Shiro would eat that right up.”

Humans have such a curious vernacular. “Is that good amongst your kind? ‘Eating it up’?”

Another snicker, Lance beaming bright and sure up at Ulaz. He immediately distrusts the smile. “Oh, it’s great. Just do your thing. He’ll respond.”

Likely false, just from the absolute glee on Lance’s face, but Ulaz has few options remaining. He bids Lance farewell and wanders the Castle halls, sifting through the limited information he’s obtained. None of the other Paladins fall into his path and he’s loathe to locate them after the disaster with Lance. Perhaps his inquiry into courtship is a hilarious notion? Is it so strange to initiate a courtship amongst humans? Has he already blundered? Frustration wars within him and he finds himself back at the Altean archives, desperate for another look. Coran has thankfully vacated the premises. Ulaz cues up the information on humans and flips through it.

Still nothing.

The longer he stares at the scans of Shiro’s biology, the less he understands it. Romance remains a frighteningly sparse part of his experience; the Blade refused to educate their members on the merits of romantic entanglement for fear of causing rifts in the ranks. Bare acquaintanceship was preferred. Shiro is an unknown in so many ways. Ulaz rubs the pad of his thumb against his cheek. Kolivan would scold him for wasting time on such frivolous notions. Antok would laugh. Ulaz blinks up at Shiro’s startled face, frozen in the midst of the scan, and sighs.

Lance’s advice may be his only avenue. Ulaz shuts down the holovids, scrubbing clean any of his history. No use giving the Paladins more fodder toward his fumbling attempts.

Leaving the archives, Ulaz goes in search of Shiro.

 

There are only three areas Shiro seems to frequent: the mess hall, the training room, and the observatory above the Black Lion. He’s corralled the Paladins for an impromptu training session, a series of drills that push each Paladin out of their comfort zone. Ulaz waits by the entrance, enthralled by the ease with which Shiro moves through the drills, demonstrating for the Paladins before critiquing their performance. It’s a strange mixture of kindness and quick correction; Shiro tends toward the softer side of training that Ulaz is unfamiliar with.

The training concludes, Shiro explaining areas of weakness and complimenting the Paladins on their attempts. Ulaz dallies at the entrance. Lance catches his eye over Shiro’s shoulder, giving an eyebrow waggle that makes little sense, and Ulaz scrunches his nose. Perhaps he should wait until they are alone to ask. Perhaps this was a foolish notion to being with.

Shiro turns, his smile softening when he catches sight of Ulaz. Ulaz stills. He can no more put aside his affections for Shiro than he can cease meals. Shiro has wormed irreversibly under Ulaz’s defenses. It would be detrimental not to try.

Pushing off the wall, Ulaz treks across the training room to join the milling Paladins. Shiro takes a few steps toward him, still talking with Hunk about a particularly effective throw he’d done. Ulaz pauses a ways away from the excitable group of Paladins, warmed when Shiro finishes his conversation and jogs over.

“Hey, haven’t seen you all day,” Shiro says, smiling up at him. Ulaz tightens his hold on his wrists, keeping them safely behind his back. “Did you want to spar?”

“Shiro - ”

“You will cease this immediately,” Allura shouts from across the room.

Ulaz turns, surprised. The rest of the Paladins peer at her in confusion, but Allura has her sights set on Ulaz, clearly agitated.

_Oh no._

“You cannot have him,” Allura snaps out, teeth flashing in a clear show of challenge. Ulaz returns the gesture on reflex, skin prickling. He had not expected such resistance, though he should have foreseen it: Alteans were notoriously possessive, that much was fact. If Allura had already claimed Shiro as one of her own - _dammit_. How she’d come to the realization that Ulaz wished to court Shiro was beyond him. Perhaps Lance? Coran. The archives. He had failed to throw suspicion off himself while gathering information. A simple and unprecedented miscalculation.

Gaze darting over to Shiro, Ulaz takes in the minute widening of Shiro’s eyes and the tense bunch of his shoulders. His uncertainty is clear. The rest of the Paladins stand just behind him, avid stares darting between Allura and Ulaz.

He will not lose.

“I challenge you for him,” Ulaz says, rolling up to his full height.

Allura scoffs, eyebrows slamming together as she bunches a thigh and twists her left foot to the side. “Name your terms.”

“Guys –” Shiro starts and Allura holds up a hand. He frowns, a quick furrow between his brows, and Ulaz breathes out. Shiro does not continue his inquiry, deferring instead to the Princess, and it grates. Her gestures are meant to taunt, to showcase her claim over Shiro, to tease what Ulaz cannot have. Ulaz flexes his wrists, and the tips of Allura’s mouth inches up. She’d noted the reaction. Foolish.

Ulaz considers. She’s smaller than him, her reach not as long, though the definition in her legs could lead to trouble. “Combat. First blood.”

That gets Shiro going again. “Hey, no, what are you two doing? There’s no need for this.”

“There most certainly is,” Allura replies. Her voice drops and Shiro straightens. Another slight. Ulaz grounds his teeth. “We do not know his intentions toward you.”

“Pretty sure I can tell you,” Lance pipes up. Allura cuts him a look and he quiets.

Shiro chews at his lip, a gesture familiar in its nervousness. Ulaz twists the ball of his foot into the floor, stemming the urge to go and soothe Shiro into calm once more. Instead, he tilts his chin up. “I accept.”

“Wait –” Shiro begins again, but Allura is already moving.

She’s fast, faster than he was anticipating. Lance has just enough time to yank Shiro out of the way as Allura comes in low, comes in hard. When she strikes, Ulaz barely has a moment to get up an arm. Her strength is  _unbelievable,_ his elbow buckling under the force. Ulaz turns aside her next hit. Each step back is a devastating loss, Allura countering quickly and efficiently as Ulaz grapples for ground. She ducks when he reaches, darts when he aims to block. Her feints seamlessly shift aside any hope of retaliation. The complexity of her style is damn near impossible to counter. Ulaz casts aside another blow and lands a hit on the junction of her neck and shoulder.

Allura does not flinch.

Ulaz spins back, gets up a block to endure the onslaught. She’s concentrating her blows on specific points in his arms, wearing down the muscles with strikes aimed to bruise. Ulaz weaves. Allura darts. She ducks under a possible grapple, slamming an open palm against his sternum. The move knocks him almost halfway across the room. Ulaz catches himself on his hands, pushing up, and Allura darts into his space.

Her smile turns vicious.

The next blow comes from her leg, the seamless pivot of her left foot barely registering before she connects with Ulaz’s side. Something gives - muscle or bone, he cannot be sure - but the cry slips past his lips before he can stem it. Allura falters for a single moment, gaze bright with surprise. Ulaz fights through his pain and strikes back. He locks a hand around her wrist, yanking her forward and tossing her aside, altering the force of the throw at the last instant to aim her down. She strikes hard but bounces up faster, her momentum shifting lightning quick.

He cannot maintain this level of ferocity. The few books the Empire had kept on Alteans had mentioned their fighting prowess, but  _this._ Allura fights with precision and devastating force; her training is that of a warrior able to decimate an entire army alone. He was foolish to accept her challenge. And yet…

When Allura slams into him again, her pure strength overpowers his quick block. Ulaz allows the blow to strike. Deflection is key to his survival here. It flings him back toward the Paladins, back toward Shiro, and Ulaz spins to his feet. Allura follows. Shiro yells both their names. In Ulaz’s peripheral, Shiro stands before the others, his expression lost and mildly horrified.

The momentary lapse in concentration costs Ulaz dearly.

Allura grabs for the arm Ulaz throws up to counter, twisting it fast in her palm and yanking Ulaz around until he’s forced to his knees. The  _pop!_  of his shoulder lightnings pain through him; he cries out, bowing forward in hopes of relieving the pressure. Shiro shouts. Allura snaps out: “Yield!”

Ulaz does not. Allura forces his arm back further, until the bones creak, until the tendons scream. He has endured worse. He will endure all manners of hell to win the opportunity of courting Shiro.

Allura bears down and Ulaz gasps through the pain, sucks in breath after breath to counter the howl of his body’s desperation. She has not drawn blood; she is pushing for humiliation over ending the fight quickly. She grits out again:  _“Yield!”_  He does not. The force increases.

From the corner of his eye, he catches black on white charging toward the both of them. Allura pivots into the attack naturally, releasing Ulaz to counter the blow that is aimed for her. Shiro falls to his knees beside Ulaz instead and yanks him aside. Allura freezes, thigh twitching with tensed energy. Shiro’s hand is up, though unlit. He’s crouched between the two of them, a living barrier, and fury twitches visibly throughout his body.

“What the hell is going on?” Shiro snaps. “Why are you two fighting?”

Allura looms above them both, her brows up in surprise, mouth twisted in the beginnings of another challenging snarl. Shiro does not know the rules. He does not understand the importance of this fight. Ulaz places a hand on Shiro’s shoulder, a quick ghost of his palm that Shiro tilts back into. The gesture mollifies him. Perhaps not all is lost.

“This is how things are done,” Ulaz says quietly. Shiro glances over his shoulder, frown deepening. His hand remains raised, as though to ward off Allura’s potential attack. Allura has not moved, though her eyes narrow when Ulaz speaks. “Interference can be seen as a loss.”

“I can’t sit by and let the two of you tear each other apart,” Shiro pleads. Allura shrugs when Shiro glances at her. “What are you two even fighting over?”

“You,” Allura says simply, crossing her arms. Her right ankle tightens and Ulaz pushes up into a crouch. She won’t hold off much longer; likely, she will force Ulaz away from Shiro before continuing the fight. First blood. If he can get one good hit…

“Wait, what?” Shiro stands at that, gaze darting between the two of them. “What do you mean ‘me’?”

Ulaz moves before Allura can, dancing back and away from Shiro as she darts forward. Ulaz dodges when she steps into him, slashes out with claw and palm. Allura catches his wrist. She twists. Ulaz follows the motion, thrusting with his fist against her elbow until she releases him. They break apart. Shiro’s shouting for them to stop, but they’re too intertwined. Allura steps forward; Ulaz hooks her ankle with his foot and lifts. She yanks Ulaz down with her, the both of them rolling before breaking apart.

Popping to her feet, Allura crouches, waiting. She’s eyeing him now, curious and slightly impressed from the tilt of her chin. The twinge of Ulaz’s shoulder still sends tiny shocks through his system; his ribs protest each breath, fighting against him. He needs to finish her and fast.

When Allura springs forward, Ulaz meets her. Feint left, knick her across the thigh. He calculates, quick, quick, and when Allura spins, Ulaz swipes.

The two of them strike a barrier and ricochet off.

Electricity trickles up Ulaz’s spine as he rolls to a stop, curling in on himself as he gasps.

Pidge has a holographic maze up. “Listen, this was interesting at first but you’re both acting crazy. Can we talk about this?”

Allura stands tall on the opposite side of the invisible barrier. Ulaz pushes himself up, unable to catch a breath. Shiro speaks up, “Thanks, Pidge. Now take it down. Ulaz, I’m coming in. Allura, don’t - ”

Too late. There’s a quick pop of electricity, the hum of the barriers dropping, and Allura moves. Ulaz twists on his knees, catching her strike in the palm of his hand, taking the brunt of the blow even as his ribs finally give. The pain is immediate and devastating. He tightens his hold on Allura’s hand, nails digging in hard.  Allura punches him right in the face.

Blood is drawn.

They both stop, Allura shaking her hand in agitation and Ulaz smarting furiously from the near fracture of his jaw. Blood thickens over his tongue. When he flashes his teeth once more, it’s in bloody understanding. Allura holds up her clawed hand and returns the gesture, fury coiling in the arch of her spine. Shiro pushes between them again.

“Stop it! We don’t need to fight! We can talk this out!”

“The challenge has been made,” Ulaz says. “She has contested my courtship of you.”

That draws Shiro to a halt, his eyes widening. “What?”

 _“What?”_  Allura says, startled.

Lance crows from behind them all:  _“I told you so!”_

Ulaz pauses, confused. “Is that not what the challenge was for?”

“No!” Allura stands, hands bunched by her sides. Her lips are twisted in disbelief. “You have been perusing the archives for weeks and studying Shiro’s file! I was under the impression you wished to remove him from Voltron!”

“What?” Shiro repeats, still staring, still gobsmacked.

Pushing to his feet, Ulaz says, “I would never remove Shiro from such an important position. I simply wished to expand upon our current relationship.”

“Treat him  _right!”_  Lance calls again. Ulaz sighs. A flush has worked its way over Shiro’s cheeks, his gaze darting from Ulaz to the floor and back to Ulaz in silent disbelief. Swiping his tongue over his teeth, Ulaz contemplates his next words carefully.

Allura beats him to it. “You wish to court Shiro? Goodness, I am terribly sorry. I believed - it is no matter. I should not have accosted you so.”

Surprised, Ulaz says, “It was a misunderstanding on my part as well, Princess. I did not realize you were unaware of my affections.”

“What,” Shiro says again, softer, quiet disbelief flooding his expression. He’s gone an alarming shade of pink, his ears tipped with red. There was nothing in the data banks about sustained blood flow in these areas, though Shiro seems unconcerned with the changing colour of his skin. He stares up at Ulaz instead, lips slightly parted, confused and a touch wary.

It’s unorthodox, but this entire situation has been Ulaz floundering from one situation to the next. He has the information he requires at this point; there is no need to withhold. He turns to face Shiro.

“I have been told the direct approach is best,” Ulaz begins. Shiro blinks. “If you would permit me, I wish to court you.”

The Paladins whoop, all four of them, and Ulaz winces. Privacy may have been the better route for this. Shiro opens his mouth, closes it, and then turns over his shoulder to glance at the Paladins. He does not address Ulaz’s request. Another blunder, another miscalculation. Ulaz does not fidget, though it is a near thing. When Shiro turns back, he’s still silent, still wide eyed, and Ulaz droops.

_A mistake._

“I apologize for bringing up such a sensitive topic in company. Please, take your time. I will - be elsewhere.” It’s cowardly. It’s ridiculous. Between the horrific misunderstanding with the Princess and now causing Shiro clear discomfort, Ulaz has caused enough strife.

He leaves without another word. Shiro does not call him back.

 

After a brief stint in the medical bay where Allura once more apologizes for her gross misunderstanding, Ulaz wanders. He removes himself from the usual haunts: the kitchen, the mess hall, the training room, and the Paladin’s quarters. He remains in the lower areas of the Castle. He is not hiding, regardless of how Kolivan would sneer at him over it. He is simply reorganizing his thoughts, poking at a problem of his own making, and desperately wishing he had the foresight to implement a contingency plan.

As it stands, Shiro may spur his advances. Ulaz briefly entertains the idea of contacting Kolivan and demanding a mission. Cowardice once more. Regardless of Shiro’s feelings in the matter, Ulaz must remain the liaison between the Blade and Voltron. He must rise above the hurt that swims sickly through his chest and maintain a calm head. He has no claim on Shiro.

Granted, neither does Allura now. The thought brings him some satisfaction.

His wanders have led him back to the Altean archives. Ulaz glowers at the closed doors, of the information that had spurred a series of horrible choices. The archive, with its failed understanding of humans, had led him astray. Though, with that same thread of logic, Ulaz could place the blame on Lance. Sighing, Ulaz opens the archives doors. It is neither Lance nor the archives fault. It is simply Ulaz.

Oh, how that smarts.

The archives come online, small tendrils of blue light collecting to create the database. Ulaz quietly brings up the information on humans once again. Shiro’s caloric intake has dropped since the training with the Paladins, which means the he hasn’t eaten yet. Each display updates depending on where the Paladin is in the Castle, their vitals increasing and decreasing. Ulaz briefly eyes over the others, noting that they’ve cooled from their training sessions. Shiro is still warm, his vitals still above normal. Ulaz furrows his brows.

As he types in the commands on the console, the door shushes open behind him. Beads of light dance above Ulaz, reaching for the new person with an inquiry. Ulaz bows his head. One cannot hide forever. Turmoil twists in his gut.

“Lance apologizes,” Shiro says, coming to a halt beside Ulaz. “Says he gave you some bad intel.”

Ulaz closes his eyes. It will be a slow rejection then. “It was another misunderstanding. There are many instances of human communication that I am unfamiliar with.”

“Like how to woo someone?”

From context, Ulaz infers that ‘woo’ is similar to courtship. He sighs. “Yes. It was in bad taste. I understand if you have dismissed my request.”

“I don’t know about that,” Shiro says. Ulaz glances at him, surprised. Shiro squints up at the holographic display, the Paladins frozen in surprise. “There are worse ways I’ve been confessed to.”

Remaining quiet, Ulaz clicks off the holographic display. He simply wishes to know, to begin healing the hurt within his chest, to leave Shiro be. Kolivan may have a reason for labelling romantic entanglements as taboo. Ulaz despises him for a vicious moment.

“Did you get your jaw looked at?” Shiro asks. A gentle touch skims along Ulaz’s wrist, startling him. He glances at Shiro, at the concern in his gaze and the quick smile he darts Ulaz’s way. It’s strained, far from the usual softness Ulaz is used to. Shiro continues, fingers flexing against Ulaz’s arm. “Allura packs a mean punch. I’ve been on the receiving end a few times. I’m surprised you didn’t yield sooner.”

“There was reason not to,” Ulaz bites out. He shifts his arm away from Shiro, unsure how much longer this process will take. “Am I to take your avoidance of the subject to mean rejection?”

“What?” Shiro blinks up at him, reaching out once more. Ulaz contemplates sidestepping him, but he recognizes his weakness now. Shiro’s touch, Shiro’s voice, the quiet hum of a connection between them; he is  _weak_  and it infuriates him. Shiro touches him, fingers tight around Ulaz’s wrist, and tugs until they’re facing.

“You wanted me to think on this,” Shiro starts. He bites at his bottom lip, brows furrowed low as he contemplates Ulaz’s captured hand. Ulaz remains still, awaiting judgement. “I don’t know what a courtship looks like in Galra society.”

That throws Ulaz off guard. “Shiro?”

“There’s a lot about human courtships or - or dating that I don’t think would fly here. Do you do presents? Dates? What’s the usual amount of time you wait before holding someone’s hand?” Shiro turns over Ulaz’s hand, flesh fingers warm against Ulaz’s palm. Ulaz swallows, hope prickling low in his chest. Shiro slots their fingers together, his smile turning wistful. “Is it too late for me to tell you I accept? Was there a time limit on the courtship request?”

“You - accept.” Ulaz curls his fingers against Shiro’s, folding their palms together.  

Shiro smiles up at him. “Yeah. I would’ve said it in the training room but you were already gone. We humans take a bit of time to process that kind of confession.”

Carefully, gently, Ulaz brushes the tips of his fingers against Shiro’s smile. Shiro pushes into it, lashes slipping low, his smile widening. It is an unbelievable truth, what Shiro has just said, and yet Ulaz eagerly grasps what he can. He traces the indent in Shiro’s cheek, the laugh lines around his eyes, the bumpy ridge of his scar. Shiro waits him out, druidic hand pressed against Ulaz’s stomach. When Ulaz cups the side of Shiro’s neck, Shiro hums lowly and tilts his head up.

“Thank you,” Ulaz whispers, ducks his head to brush their noses together. Shiro huffs out a laugh, bumping up onto his toes to return the gesture. Ulaz rests their foreheads together, thumb gentle against the hinge of Shiro’s jaw.

Shiro has granted him yet another gift in this war. He will guard it with all the ferocity the Blade has instilled in him.

**Author's Note:**

> You can come follow me on [tumblr](https://ashinan.tumblr.com) where I will be posting the Uliro fics first before putting them on AO3. ALSO ALSO please do follow [Uliro Week](https://uliroweek.tumblr.com/) for all your Uliro needs


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